Free Dining

[Little Flower]

Can someone please explain how free dining works and how i go about booking a trip that includes it. We've always gone in June and now am thinking that it would be nice to have more spending money by not paying for food every day - i just don't know what it involves and how to do it

 

[aubriee]

Free dining is usually offered in April for reservations in late August through September. You must pay full price for the room and purchase at least a one day MYW ticket for everyone in the room. Free dining will probably be the basic DDP, which includes one counter service meal, one table service meal, and one snack /day/person. Tips are not included.

There have also been times when Disney has offered the Bounce Back dining for people who are there in Sept-Dec, where they can book a trip for the next late August-Sept and get free dining for that trip. Disney is currently sending out PIN codes for free dining to certain people, but those are random and can only be used by the people they are sent out to. Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason who gets PIN Codes. I know I've signed up for everything I can think of and order that silly planning DVD every year and have still never gotten a PIN.

Again usually free dining is only for late August-Sept, but Disney did offer free dining last year for certain dates in Oct, Nov, and Dec. It has never been offered for June trips though. With all the kids out of school it's never been necessary for Disney.

Oh yes, free dining is usually offered first to Disney VISA card holders then about a week later to the general public. Rooms may be limited. Keep a watch here on the DIS over on the Resorts/Codes Board. As the time gets closer for it to be announced, you'll see all kinds of threads about it.

 

[danny1649]

Ithought you might get some great info from the experts on this board. Danny

 

[Little Flower]

i would definately be up for trying august or september for our trip (probably early september) it seems like such a great idea. We spent so much money on food this past december that watching for free dining seems ideal

 

[beroh2253]

We went the last week in September the past 3 years and it was grrrrrreat.

 

[Little Flower]

is it really hot?? We went in december and i was disappointed by the lack of heat! i want it hot hot hot!!

 

[twooley2]

can someone tell me if the free dining they will allow u to pay extra for the deluxe dining and still get the discount for the regular dining during free dining promos?

 

[DjdBrit]

can someone tell me if the free dining they will allow u to pay extra for the deluxe dining and still get the discount for the regular dining during free dining promos?

I would be interested to know this. Also with the introduction of the 2 CS plan I wonder what WDW will be giving away for Free Dining now?

 

[RMulieri]

If they offer FD, yes you can pay the difference and upgrade to the deluxe plan.As for Sept, it is very very Hot and HUMID.

 

[beroh2253]

is it really hot?? We went in december and i was disappointed by the lack of heat! i want it hot hot hot!!

Like I mentioned we went the last 3 years the last week in September and it was sweltering, HOT HOT HOT and we were lucky not much rain. We had to take an afternoon break every day to go back to the resort for a swim. What you have to do to cool down .

 

[aubriee]

I would be interested to know this. Also with the introduction of the 2 CS plan I wonder what WDW will be giving away for Free Dining now?

I was able to get the Bounce Back Free dining for this Sept, while I was there last Sept and made very sure it was the regular DDP. People have been getting PIN codes the last couple of weeks for free dining and they have also been for the regular dining, so I would assume if free dining is offered to the general public it would again be the regular DDP. Now, I believe the UK offer was different and they had to stay in a certain level of resort to get the basic plan, otherwise they got the counter service plan. I can't see Disney doing that for the US folks though.

Last Sept we upgraded to the DxDDP and just paid the difference of what the basic plan would have been, if we hadn't gotten it for free. I think it was about $32.00 a night/person. It was way too much food however. Of course, we planned three TS meals a day. We didn't even touch any of our snacks and had to run down the last day to Goofys to use up 48 snacks.